Know what I love? BATHS! I know there are a lot of naysayers out there that who do not like baths because they are disgusting are the equivalent to sitting in a pool of their own filth. But to them I say "You be crazy." I happen to think that my filth is awesome, and I'm happy to bathe in it so long as it smells like flowers and/or fruit, and is filled with bubbles.
In fact I love baths so much that every time I have moved into a new apartment, I immediately recognized the potential for baths or not, and if I ever settled on a place with just a shower stall, I cried a little bit inside. (Fortunately the heated towel rack made up for it.) I don't take baths all of the time - far from it. But a nice bath every month or so is just enough to make me feel like I am doing something to spoil myself. And I think that's pretty awesome - because heck - I DESERVE IT!
So here's to that beautiful pool of filth that is so good at making me feel so relaxed. The only thing that might make my bath time a little better, is a rubber duckie! Maybe someday,
Since I have gotten back into improv, I have taken a lot of pride in considering myself as someone who is into comedy. Yet, I very rarely spend time out at comedy shows. I feel like I was living in Montreal, I actually went to see stand-up comedy shows fairly frequently. And there have been a few times since living in Vancouver that I went to a couple of shows at Yuk Yuk's with friends, and every time was absolutely awesome - so why do I not go to see more comedy? One quick answer could be that I might not actually have the time, but that's a silly excuse. If it's something that I really love then I should be making the time, right? Well that's what I did about a month ago when I found out that one of my favourite comedians, Jon Lajoie, was going to be performing in Vancouver.
I wasn't sure what kind of show it was going to be. Was it a comedy routine, a concert, some sort of combination of the two? Would they be showing his YouTube videos? What the heck was the night going to be? The answer: AWESOME! He did an awesome job. The songs were great, the stand-up comedy was hilarious, and the handling of the hecklers was down-right impressive! As always I walked away wondering why the heck I don't go to more live stand-up shows. Clearly I need to make it a priority again.
Generally I would say that Jon Lajoie's type of humour might not be suited to some of the readers of this blog (Hi Mom and Gramma!), but I think I found a song of Jon's that everyone can enjoy. There's still some language in it, but it's fleeting - so if anyone wants to avoid the language then you can just stop listening as soon as the rap starts!
I don't know why I keep being so lazy with these blogs. Somehow I convinced myself that if I missed a post one day that it wasn't so bad because I could always post it later. But then that ended up meaning that I'd have days like this when I would have to catch up on four days with of awesome. Which is fun - but it defeats the point of me acknowledging the good in each day as it happens. So - I am providing myself with a new challenge. And this challenge is inspired by this evening's events.
We had another improv musical workshop tonight. And as expected - it was awesome, because it gives me the chance to do some of the things that I love to do - but in a challenging and sometimes embarrassing way. SO - if ever I do NOT post daily again I will have to add to the final post, by including a Bonus Feature of some sort. It could be a video of me doing something silly and/or embarrassing (ie. doing a silly dance, making up a song, trying to play ukulele again), or it could be an additional story or poem, or who knows.
Remember those Birthday Dares I did for my Champagne Birthdays? Well if anyone had extra dares that they wanted to send my way to be included as possible Bonus Features then this is the time to send them.
It's time I be held accountable for my actions. All I ask is that because I often don't come home until after midnight that I at least be given until 2am. That's fair, right?
Here's hoping that this new challenge isn't an invitation for further insomnia. Bring on the silliness!
Because this project is about staying positive, I am going to spin a rather embarrassing experience into an awesomism. On Sunday I had planned on getting some groceries after my improv workshop, because I would be passing by a grocery store on my way home. The store I was passing by was not the usual store I shop at, and it also tended to be a little more expensive - but it had most everything I needed/wanted so I stopped off to get some groceries.
I made the mistake of going in without a list, so I spent a little more time at the store than I had wanted but after a good chunk of time I made it to the check out. There was a very sweet family ahead of me while I was putting all of my groceries on the conveyor belt. They were just in the process of paying for their groceries as I went to reach for my wallet so that I would be ready to pay when it was my turn. Unfortunately, when I reached into my purse, guess what was missing!
As the family was packing up their stuff I had to confess that I had no way of paying for my groceries. I eagerly offered to take everything back to their original places, but the cashier assured me that they would handle everything. And the mother in front of me said "Oh no. That's horrible." Almost as if she was trying to figure out if there was anything they could do. Before they even had a chance to offer help, I just shrugged it off and thanked the cashier profusely for taking care of it.
I then took the bus home - grabbed my wallet and then ended up walking to my usual store where I was able to get everything I had originally wanted, and even ended up spending a little less for everything.
I feel really bad for the store for having to return everything, but it was a really great to know that they were understanding of the situation and able to take care of it on their own. And hearing from the person in front that they empathized for the situation was also quite comforting. I sometimes wonder what I would have done had they offered. I'm sure I would not have made their generosity easy on them. I can be a overly proud and stubborn at times. But I also know that if I were in their position I would also want to offer as well. But would I? Am I that philanthropic person I've always wanted to be? Or am I a coward. Hmmmm - I sense a challenge for myself for the month of December.
Do you remember when you were younger and your parents read to you before going to bed? . . . Well I do. It was one of my favourite times of the day. It was the time of day when we would get ready for bed by putting our pajamas on, brushing our teeth, then huddling onto someone's bed to listen to my Dad's epic story time. One of the stories he read to us was THE HOBBIT. It was the huge text book sized version with the illustrations - and it was awesome. We got the chance to hear an awesome story while having some family bonding time. What could be better?
Unfortunately at some point between elementary school and high school the whole idea of reading aloud became scary and uncool. But this weekend I became reacquainted with awesomeness of being read to, and reading to someone else.
Seriously - if any couples out there are looking for a fun romantic way to spend time together, I'd like to suggest reading to each other. If you already do read to each other - then good for you! But if you don't and you think it's a silly thing to do, well get over yourselves and try it out. You might be surprised.
This Friday I went down to visit Luke for the first time in a month. As usual, it was great to see him, but it became even better when he shared some great news with me.
Since trying out my friend Natalie's Kinect last month, I have been wanting one of my own. In fact it was pretty much the only thing that was going on my Christmas wish list. However - Luke informed me that Black Friday had made its way to Canada and that Future Shop had a major sale on, and that one of their major deals was the XBOX/Kinect Bundle for $100 off. So he proposed that we go in for our first 'couple purchase' and split the costs so that we could both own it, but it could live at my apartment.
This was a HUGE step. Co-ownership? What's next? A Dog? Well despite the fears that come from co-ownership, I decided that it was actually a good investment, a good arrangement, and great deal that would be crazy to turn down. So I said yes to the whole idea - but then reality set in.
$100 off? That a big savings - and we're talking about Future Shop. My understanding of their big sales is that they do not last very long. So I suggested that if we were going to go through with the purchase that we do it as soon as possible if we expect to get one. And that's when Luke confessed that he thought about that - which is why he went into the store as soon as it opened to purchase one!
WHAT?!?!?! So apparently Luke and I are the proud new owners of a new Kinect. We have named it Kinecules! We took it out for a walk this weekend, and it seemed to have a good time. It is now home safely in Vancouver. If anyone ever wants to come and see it - feel free to come visit anytime! It always enjoys company.
Thursday I finally finished the advent calendar that I made for Luke, and it felt really REALLY good to be done. In my mind it was supposed to be an fun and easy project. But what made it fun and easy was that I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how to do it. What I hesitated to acknowledge was exactly how long it would take for me to do it. But I finally finished with plenty of time before Dec. 1st, and in time to give it to him for my last visit until Christmas. Let the season of giving commence!
So Wednesday was a great day. Work was good, and I spent the evening at the opening night of Blood Brothers at the Arts Club Theatre. The show was fantastic, and it was great to be able to hang out one-on-one with fellow music lover Josh McFaul - husband of good friend Shay and brofriend of Luke (and link to how Luke and I met). It was an awesome night, an awesome show, and awesome company. But there was one more awesome thing that happened that I wanted to mention.
Earlier in the day I was informed by the beautiful Kim MacEachern, that something that I had been waiting for for a while was finally in existence. Long before I had my laptop, but work computer was my main computer so I had purchased a few things to my iTunes account that had only ever resided on that computer. Then when I got my new computer I purchased more things to my iTunes account, expecting that anything purchased on my account could show up on any computer. But such was not the case - or at least not as far as I could tell. I eventually gave up on trying to figure it out and just settled with listening to everything through my iPod.
But yesterday all of that changed. Because apparently iTunes has a 'New' feature. I don't know how new it is, but it was new to me yesterday and it changed my life, because I was finally able to upload all of the songs that I had purchased on my laptop onto my work computer - and vice versa. Finding this out made me very excited to the point where I eventually slid off my chair.
Don't believe? Here's the proof.
I love the fact that an assumption I made a few years ago is now in existence. I know I had nothing to do with it, but it was pretty awesome to know that I was thinking of the improvement at the same time that it was being created.
After a very long and exhausting day involving number crunching and our Annual General Meeting, by the time I got home I found myself to be highly irritable, impatient, and generally unhappy. Upon receiving an instant message online it hit me at just how miserable I was and how I really should not have been socializing with anyone at that time. So I knew enough to take a few minutes to myself to find some things that cheered me up.
Maybe I should have watched the seal video right away, but I didn't feel like it was the right way to get me out of my funk. So instead I decided to check out a video that was introduced to me by a fellow choir member this weekend. This video was a great reminder that music is the way to heal my soul. Check it out!
Well it was the perfect segue from my bad mood to finally being able to talk with another human being. Another human being who was extremely understanding and patient with my mood, making it all the easier to get out of it.
Even though I didn't write this blog that night, I can guarantee that I went to bed happy that night - which is the whole point. And that's pretty awesome I think.
Okay - it's been a loooooong week. Lots to catch up on. Let's start with Monday. Regular day at work. Nothing special. Another late night spent crafting. But I was able to take a little break and have a chat. Maybe it wasn't chatting so much as laughing uncontrollably. Not long ago I was introduced to some YouTube clips of Animals that sounded like people. They were all pretty cute and funny - but one in particular brought out the cackle. Usually I can control the cackle but when something is absolutely hilarious, it somehow finds a way to break out.
This is the video that did it for me.
I don't even know if other people will find it as hilarious as I did. But even watching it again earlier today as well as just now - the cackle came out again. I guess it's just one of those things that will get me every time. So I think that's good enough reason to make it Monday's awesomism.
I know I have blogged about choir A LOT, but it's awesomeness never ceases to amaze me. This weekend one particular thing happened that does not happen all of the time, but when it does it is always AWESOME. And that's when we are taken to church!
I do not mean taken to a church service. What I mean is when the singing gets so epic that you cannot help but feel touched by something. You know those classic stereotypical images of gospel choirs in southern churches? With the fast paced music, the singing at the top of your lungs, with the hands up, and dancing around. That's exactly what I'm talking about! I cannot say whether it is God, the Holy Spirit, or just the overwhelming joy that comes from clapping, dancing, and singing together. But I can say with certainty that it is a feeling that I only ever get at choir and is one that I love and crave constantly. It is the kind of feeling that makes me really glad that choir rehearsals are on Sundays!
I am a girl who loves her crafting. I blame/thank my mother for my crafting abilities. She always had some craft project going on - whether it was smocking, knitting, sewing, something else entirely, or some combination of any of these. She was also the one who made sure every single one of my birthday parties involved the creation of some sort of craft. So it didn't take long for me to catch the bug. Also, I feel like there is nothing better than the sentimentality that comes from giving or getting a homemade gift. So when my friend invited me to an advent calendar making party, I made sure that I would be there.
One of my favourite Christmas traditions growing up was my Mom's homemade advent calendar. She made these decent sized bags that she filled with four baggies in each bag. Each bag would have a new treat in them and the treats got progressively better as we approached the 24th when we finally got our Laura Secord chocolate marshmallow santa. In some ways I am sure my Mom hated making the calendar because she would painstakingly count out each candy in every bag (sometimes even the colours of the m&m's) to make sure there would be no chance of any of us complaining of inequality. ... And then true to form someone would find a reason to be convinced that their baggie was better than everyone else's - thereby diminishing any and all efforts Mom had made. We thought it was funny. Understandably - she did not. (Sorry Mom!) But the fact remained that we all LOVED that advent calendar, so it was my goal to make one that came close to being as good as hers.
I actually cheated and did a little pre-crafting because I wanted all of the bags sewn by the time I got to the party so that I had the party to cut out and sew on all of the numbers. I got all of the numbers cut out, but even over the duration of watching White Christmas and Step Up 2, I was not able to get all of the numbers sewn on. I finished all of the bags today though, and I think they look pretty good if I do say so myself. They aren't as big as Mom's were, but they will do. I am sure Luke won't complain.
Yup - all that work and I won't even be the one to enjoy it! Though I will take great pleasure in giving it as a gift. And fortunately I will be the one getting the candy to fill the calendar - so if I just happen to get a little more than needed, well then I guess I'll just have to find some way to deal with it. :D
What a great night! I actually contemplated staying home after finding out that the friend I had made plans with had gotten sick. But because I'm stubborn and still really wanted to see some friends perform in concert, I decided to suck it up and go. Some people might think it is a little weird to go out on a Friday night by yourself. But I braved it and I am so glad I did, because the little random bits of awesome that happened last night completely blew my mind.
First - it all started with a bit of shopping for some things that I have been eyeing for a long time. Fortunately for me I was able to get two things off of my wish list for the same amount of money that I was willing to pay for just one. SCORE! On top of that high - I ended up running into one of the girls who was in my flamenco class on Thursday who recognized me. We chatted for a bit about the class and then she offered me an unprovoked compliment (awesome) and asked if I had a dance background. ... Does tap class at age 5 count? ... It was a great way to start my evening before heading to see some friends from The Left perform at Joe's Apartment. Then the fun really kicked in!
As soon as I arrived at the venue the awesomeness continued when I was asked for my ID. What made it so special, you may ask? The bouncers name was Zack Morris. Any other people reading this who grew up watching Saved By The Bell will appreciate the awesomeness of that bouncer. I was smiling so much as I got inside that it almost hurt. I grabbed a seat near the front so I made sure I would be able to see the band. I arrived really early for the purposes of getting a seat, and apparently some other people had that idea as well because not long after I sat down, a group of three gentlemen came near the front also looking for seats. I had grabbed a seat near the end of the bank leaving room between me and the group in front leaving room for these gentlemen to sit there. As they were chatting, I was watching the stage but it must have looked like I was looking at or through them because they apologized if they were getting in my way. They weren't so I made sure to tell them that. But as I was talking to them, I recognized one of the gentleman as the father of the bassist (the resemblance was uncanny) - so we got to talking. It turns out that we knew a lot of the same people (not surprising since the bassist and I also know a lot of the same people), and one of the other gentlemen with him had actually performed at Pacific Theatre in a Fringe show a number of years ago and also went to school in Montreal.
It was such a great evening! It might have been nice to have stuck with the original plans, but it was kind of nice to get to know these new people. It just goes to show that when one friend closes a door, another few friends are waiting for you outside your window .... or something like that.
A big thanks to all of the guys in The Left for being the cause of last night's happenings! You guys rocked it out as always. I can't wait to see what happens at the next concert.
Thursday was such a great day. After work I headed to my flamenco class where my worlds collided a bit when I ran into my bellydancing teacher (a bit of random awesomeness for the day). And then after class I had some deliciously cheap sushi (also awesome) and went to see my friend Chris in a show.
Chris is the one who wrote and performed in the show Compassion For Killers that we did this past summer. But since doing the show, life has been so busy that we haven't really had the chance to hang out. So it was nice to finally get the chance to sit down and catch up - and we had a LOT of catching up to do. And what better way to do it than over some cosmopolitans and chocolate lava cake!
Suffice it to say that the evening was great! I keep being overwhelmed with the all of the amazing people I have in my life. I just wish I didn't have to take so much time in between hanging out with each one - but so long as I still get to see them, I'm a happy girl. And when delicious food and drinks are involved - all the better.
I was excited all day today to have a night off to completely clean my apartment and get it ready for the Holiday Season. To put me in the mood I put on some of my favourite holiday music and got started. My apartment is among the cleanest it has ever been now and best of all, I've got my adorable 1-foot glistening blue tree up on my desk. Just enough Christmas to put me in the mood!
And because I was in the holiday spirit, I even got started on a project that I'm working on for the Holiday season. Details of that to come. But I can tell you that I am super excited for it! It is reminiscent of an old family tradition we had for the Holiday season. No - it's not kringle. Kringle is also for another time!
Here's my adorable little tree! Isn't it just awesome? .... you know - once you look past the crappy photography. What can I say - it's late at night and I settled for photobooth. But look how adorable it is!!!
I am fairly certain that everyone on this planet has a celebrity boyfriend or girlfriend. Mine has changed a bit over the years. High school I had a thing for Adam Sandler, and in more recent years I had a thing for Ryan Gosling - but for some reason that crush kind of faded away. He is still one of my favourite actors, but the level of attraction I used to have towards him just isn't quite there anymore. Recently I had a long discussion with the actual boyfriend, through which I decided on an awesome celebrity boyfriend that I am totally happy with. His name is Jason Segel!
You know that really tall guy from How I Met Your Mother? Well he's my new celebrity crush. And tonight while doing laundry I had myself a marathon of a couple of his movies. When I turned the TV on tonight the movie I Love You, Man came on. I had seen it a long time ago and LOVED it, but hadn't seen it since, so obviously I watched it. And because I enjoyed it so much, I decided to continue the Jason Segel love fest and watched my brand new copy of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
It was quite nice to spend the night with my new celebrity boyfriend. I guess this is what happens when in long-distance relationships. When the tall, sweet, hilarious guy I am used to is not around to hang out with, at least I know where I can find another one. Thank you Jason for being a great back-up and for helping me out with my chores! You're awesome!
We all now that I love music. We also now that I love improv. So just imagine what happens when you put the two together . . . AWESOMENESS - that's what happens.
Tonight I attended my first ever musical improv workshop and it was even better than I imagined - and I set the expectation bar pretty darn high for this class. Ever since I saw the Improv Musical show earlier this year, I have been dying to take a workshop and I am SO glad that I did. Even though I was still feeling a little tired tonight, I am so glad that I made the trip out to PoCo, because I feel like I learned so much. Now when I make up songs at work about what I'm doing - the might actually be decent songs.
It's sad thinking that we've only scheduled one more of these workshops, but I am going to keep my fingers crossed that we will add more later and possibly even produce and improv musical again in the near future. I'll just have to make sure that I attend that audition this time around!
Ever heard of this thing called a 'personal day'? It's essentially when someone takes a day off, not because they are sick or had an emergency, or had a conflicting commitment - but because they just want a moment to shut down, take a break from all commitments, and have a day to themselves.
I took my first one of those on Sunday! Weird that my 'day off' was taken on a Sunday when you might assume I'd already have the day off. But considering how packed I've made my schedule lately, Sunday happened to be the day when exhaustion set in and I needed the time to just relax and not worry about any prior commitments.
So I did just that. I am not usually one to play hookie and I don't think I will ever become one - but for one day it was a nice relief. And I definitely felt prepared to take on all of the tasks of Monday. So I guess it was totally worth it!
If you've never had a personal day - I highly recommend it! Trust the workaholic - a little time off to get back to neutral can be a great thing.
I had what I am pretty sure was the hardest improv gig of my life on Saturday. Very difficult, but still very rewarding. First the support of my fellow players was absolutely awesome. And then we also had a lot of kids in the audience who ended up giving off this amazing energy that was occasionally a little distracting. And extra special was that I had some serious support in the audience including one of the first people to ever get me into improv - Mr. Hugh MacLeod.
I have performed for kids before but usually only one or two kids in an audience of around 100 people. Not 10 kids in an audience of no more than 50. While it was distracting, it was really awesome seeing how excited they got with some of the scenes. They were all over "Moving People" and they seemed to be excited when I did my "Monologue" - which was a new game we came up with for the night. I asked one of the boys what he did that day and he said soccer, so I did a monologue about playing soccer and scoring from the other side of the field (which I'm pretty sure is an illegal move - but that's irrelevant). Apparently I painted a pretty good picture because once I scored the goal, a bunch of the kids got up an cheered with me. I didn't actually notice because I was too busy jumping around in a circle, but the kids seemed to love it - and that's the important part.
It was also awesome seeing Hugh in the audience and chatting with him at the end of the show. I can be really hard on myself but having him there was just as encouraging as always. If I could have him at all of my improv gigs I would be the happiest improviser in the world! Unfortunately it's a little hard with him living in Hamilton.
The next time I head home I NEED to stop by The Staircase. Returning to those roots could do nothing but good things for me. All of those people helped me realize who I was and who I wanted to be. Without Hugh and the rest of them - who knows what I would have done? When improv became a regular part of my life again at the beginning of this year, I remember thinking that I finally felt like my true self again. I'm so grateful that I found that person to begin with! Thank you Hugh for all of your encouragement and positivity!
11am on the 11th day on the 11th month of the 11th year was a very memorable moment in time for me. I commemorated Remembrance Day by attending the downtown service at Victory Square in Vancouver. Last year was the first year that I had ever attended an actual Remembrance Day Service and it immediately became a tradition for me.
Standing in a park with hundreds of other people, listening the poems, songs, speeches and then seeing the planes fly overhead while the guns were saluting - was a powerful experience to say the least. This year in particular was an emotional year as it came shortly after Grampa's passing. Seeing the planes fly by this year (even though they were further away due to weather conditions), caused me to become so emotional that I found myself breathless a few times as I fought to restrain the tears.
I still think back to that Remembrance Day a few years ago when I slept past 11am feeling among the guiltiest I have ever been in my life - and then later going to see Jake's Gift for the first time ever. The play changed my life at that moment and made me realize just how much I have taken for granted not just the actions of all veterans, but of my own family. I remember heading straight home and writing my grandparents an email thanking them for everything for me and my country. Fortunately I felt like I was able to make up for some of my mistakes by taking them to see the show in Hamilton at my Grampa's alma mater, where they were treated like stars. Because really - they are. One day to honour them truly is not enough. So maybe this blog being written late isn't such a bad thing.
SO MUCH TO CATCH UP ON! Clearly the awesomeness of a bit of time off has put me a little behind in my blogging. But it's time to stop goofing around and finally report on the awesomeness of the last five days - starting with last Thursday.
It started out like any other day. Some work, some sassy flamenco dancing, and then getting ready for a night at the theatre. The key difference was that my theatre date for the evening was one that I was really looking forward to and for some reason a little nervous about.
Over a year ago this amazing lady came into my life. She is tall, gorgeous, fit, healthy, talented, ridiculously smart, and one of the nicest people I have ever met. She also happens to be one of the most intimidating people I have ever met. Not because she is actually intimidating (far from it), but because she is just so cool and awesome that I always feel slightly inferior around her. The fact that she also happens to be my boyfriend's sister does not help relieve any of the intimidation either. But because I was not going to get a ridiculous fear get in the way of my spending time with her and becoming (hopefully good) friends, I sent her a cop-out text message to invite her to drinks and a show, which she graciously accepted.
Fortunately it was a busy night, so I didn't really have time to panic. But once again I felt like a bit of a tool a few times throughout the night. I'm sure she didn't think so - because she is AWESOME - but I couldn't help but feel self-conscious - and I don't even know why. Also, I ended up having to ditch her a couple of times to handle some work things as they came up, so that didn't make me feel any better. But being the amazing person she is, she was extremely understanding about the situation and even surprised me at the end of the night with a belated Birthday gift. ... WHO DOES THAT?!?!?
And as if getting a gift wasn't enough, it just so happened to be a homemade gift of some of her pottery (the same pottery that I've been coveting at Luke's place every time I visit him). The awesome homemade mug now has a permanent home on my desk at work where it gets filled with delicious lemon ginger tea nearly every day.
So here's to that lovely lady who I will probably always feel slightly intimidated by, and I'm okay with that. If you want a hint at all of her awesomeness, check out her website and youtube channel for some healthy eating tips. Here's her most recent video.
Have I ever mentioned how much I love my brothers??? Because I absolutely LOVE them. They are quite possibly the funniest people I know and will ever know, because - let's face it - this bias is not going away any time soon. I like to think I get my sense of humour from them, but I am also acutely aware that they are all 10 times funnier than I will ever be - and when you combine them together, their humour grows exponentially. Suffice it to say that there were rarely any dull moments in the Chisholm household. And like a fine wine, their hilarity has ripened with age. At least that's the story I'm sticking to.
The fact of the matter is that when I get a random message from any one of my brothers it makes me SOOO happy. So when I started off my day with a whole string of texts from my eldest brother, I was beyond thrilled - even though it could have had the potential to turn ugly (as conversations between us can when we talk about the arts). Fortunately for both of us, I'm not a douchenozzle.
In order to do this story justice, I have to offer the first string of texts that I got and my reaction to each of them as they came in. Reactions are bolded and italicized. Here we go!
(9:20) JAMIE: Alison... I want you to know how much I love you... Even though you didn't respond to my happy birthday message. What?! I thought I responded. Oh well at least he still loves me. What a nice random message.
(9:21) JAMIE: Also... I think you're a very gifted theatre actress and comedian... However, if you want to know why I hate "performance artists" Oh crap!
(9:21) JAMIE: Just look up "the birth of baby x"... It's people like her that ruin it for all you other talented folk. ??????
So as you may have guessed, I looked the birth of baby x and came across this article. Upon reading it, his frustrations made a LOT more sense. I responded by letting him know that I looked up the story and confirmed that any rationalization that may have given for her giving birth as part of an art exhibit, went out the window upon realizing that her other performance arts pieces involved the re-enactments of losing her virginity, and her grandfather's funeral. Call me old fashioned - but I believe that there's a reason why all of these events are generally kept private.
After a little bit of back and forthing, Jamie then confessed that he didn't really know why he originally contacted me. The only explanation he could give me was that he had been so enraged by the article that he needed to talk to someone in the art business who wasn't "a total douchenozzle".
Well Jamie - happy to be of service! What an awesome way to start the day. Thanks big brother!
Being a transit junkie, I have gotten used to planning well ahead to make sure that I can be at a certain location on time. As I have voluntarily chosen to travel to such places as Burnaby and Port Coquitlam fairly frequently, which often means that I have to prepare for over an hours worth (sometimes up to two hours worth) of travel time just to get from A to B. So when an unexpected ride is offered to cut that travel time in half, it is freaking AWESOME!
Yes - working with someone else who regularly takes the trek out to Burnaby to teach yoga classes where I take belly dancing lessons can have some serious perks. Especially when said friend/colleague has a vehicle and happens to be subbing for a yoga class that takes place at the exact same time as my belly dancing class. While I really do not mind taking transit because it gives me a chance to catch up on some reading, an unsolicited ride which provides the chance to socialize more (and learn about all of the different styles of yoga) is sweet and will always be appreciated!
I am not culinary at all! I love food. I am a big fan of eating and I am even a fan of conceptualizing a meal. But when it comes to me preparing a decent meal, it becomes quite an operation and one that I would generally prefer to not be a part of. So it comes as no surprise when I stick to the same basic meals every night, which require the same basic ingredients. But for some reason on my last trip to the grocery store I decided to get a little creative and bought some produce that I have always enjoyed but never bothered to incorporate it into my own dishes. Beets!
It wasn't that long ago that beets would actually be the key ingredients in one of favourite meals: Borscht (served hot or cold)! But I was never the one to cook the borscht. And while I know that roasting a beet isn't difficult, I've really never taken the time to do it. I hadn't even taken the time to purchase a beet and grate it onto a salad. Well - that all ended today when I scrubbed the beet I purchased and pulled out my cheese grater to add a little more personality to my salad.
I know it's not a huge accomplishment, but even just grating that little bit of beet into my salad felt really good. I'm hoping to eventually get to a point where I am comfortable in the kitchen - no matter what ingredients I'm working with. So even just this baby step in learning how I can prepare one of my favourite 'healthy choice' foods was pretty darn awesome. Next time I'll try roasting one!
Okay - so it's not really Christmas time - but as far as I am concerned it is. Today was the first choir rehearsal in which we started preparing for our Christmas gigs. So having spent two hours today singing Christmas songs, I now have the mindset that the Holiday season is in full swing and I couldn't be happier about it.
This is an awesome season with awesome songs attached to it. And when those songs are sung in the awesome style of soul and gospel - well you cannot help but feel the Christmas spirit. I think that was evident at last year's Christmas concert when over 2000 people were each standing up and dancing to our performance because they were so moved by the music. I've said it before, and I'll say it again . . . when you are performing and watch over 2000 people 'lean back' with you, it is unbelievably moving experience!
For a little taste of what I am talking about, check out this video from last year's concert. You might notice that everyone's standing up which explains the camera view. (And yes - I'm there, but I'm off to the side and not seen on camera.) If this song doesn't get you in the Christmas Spirit then you are CRAZY. Or maybe just not the biggest fan of Christmas. As for me - I cannot wait for next Sunday when we sing these songs again. Hooray Christmas!
Saturday was the final day of the Making a Scene Conference and it was another fantastic day. Very inspirational! A lot of great ideas came out of it and I really look forward to going back into work on Monday with all of these great new thoughts. Fortunately my inspiration from the conference made me change my evening plans which ended up working out for the better.
I had originally planned to attend the CD Release party of an acquaintance of mine (who just so happens to be one of my favourite artists) but as an emergency came up and a position needed to be filled in the evening, I felt that it only made sense for me to take it - despite the very generous offer of another friend to take it. In then end it was a good thing that I worked the shift. Because it gave me a chance to help out the theatre, and still hopefully make it to the CD release afterparty (had I decided to stay out extra late). In the process of waiting for the afterparty to begin, I went to hang out with some of the artists involved in the show and decided that I would only stay for a short while so that I could actually get to bed at a somewhat reasonable hour.
What was awesome was that in the process of hanging out, I ended up becoming enthralled with the conversation and chose to stick around much later than expected (thanks to the very kind offer of a ride home from one of the artists) and I ended up learning so much more about these theatre artists and their experiences in the business - which was invaluable. I actually got chills a few times just through talking about the art form, and the creative process for the actor, and the general story making experience.
It's amazing how some things just work out! Plans are great and I know that I would have had a great time at the CD release party, but I am glad that I had the flexibility and dedication to take on that extra shift because the way things worked out seemed to make more sense to me. I feel that at the end of the day these people are no longer just colleagues, but legitimately friends - and that is FRIGGIN AWESOME!
After an awesome day spent at the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance's "Making a Scene" conference, socializing, brainstorming, and visioning with our fellow theatre practitioners, I was looking forward to a night off. Unfortunately a night off for me does not necessarily involve a night at home. Sometimes it involves hanging with friends at a swank downtown condo with a pool and hot tub, enjoying some homemade pizza and wine.
I have often wondered what it would be like to live downtown. In Montreal I found myself being envious of my brothers and friends sweet downtown apartments, and now again in Vancouver I find myself wanting to be closer to downtown. I used to LOVE being on the outskirts of town. Still in the city and with easy transit routes to downtown, but being in a quieter more residential area - pretty much the area I'm in now. But recently I've been craving the hustle and bustle of downtown, and apartment living (rather than the duplex living I've always lived in).
I don't know if this is a realistic goal, and I already know that it would never be a permanent one, but it is certainly one that I would like to see happen at some point. This is not the time for it, but who know what might happen in the next few years. Maybe I can truly become a city girl. But even just pretending to be a city girl from time to time is pretty darn awesome!
Okay - I know I've already posted about Flameco dancing but because Thursday's class was SO good I felt like I needed to post about it again.
Thursday was our first time really focusing on the footwork, so it was a good thing I had my flamenco shoes on. The sound of the nails on the floor is so awesome, and the feeling that comes from stomping you foot down, digging your heel into the floor, and lifting and slamming your heel back into the floor is indescribable. The whole reason why I wanted to do flamenco dancing was because it was such a sensual yet powerful dance - and that is EXACTLY what I am getting. I have a feeling that I will be keeping this up for as long as I can afford it, because just being in these classes makes me feel so good about myself and makes me want to dance even more.
I feel a little weird right now. I have never been a dancer, but rather someone who really enjoys dancing. The only training I've had were some tap classes when I was 5, and then a brief recap with a friend a couple of years ago. But now that I'm taking two dance classes a week, with the intention of continuing my training in both of them - am I allowed to deny being a dancer anymore? I don't know. I guess we'll have to see where I'm at once I've completed my beginner classes.
You know those times when girls are talking with their boyfriends and somehow pull out a question that the boyfriend cannot answer without getting into trouble? Well - thankfully Luke Timmermans has found a way of getting himself out of those terrifying situations by coming up with the best response EVER.
On Wednesday I made a comment about a mutual friend being really cute and did the really mean girlfriend thing of asking Luke if he agreed (duh duh duh). Fortunately for Luke he used the force, and remembered the insightful words that Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars spoke and merely uttered the words "IT'S A TRAP!"
Well it was the most hilarious thing I have ever heard. AND it was also good at pointing out how completely unfair my question was. I'd like to think that I wouldn't have been upset had he answered the question, but I know how mischievous I can be and how I can hold things over people's head even if just as a joke. Suffice it say - Luke made the right choice. He saved himself from trouble, made me laugh hysterically, and even managed to politely point out my mistakes. What a guy!
And now for the video that he sent to me after he made his hilarious comment. Good ol' Admiral Ackbar!
Anyone who has been paying attention to this blog knows that I recently signed up for a belly dancing class. If anyone forgot, it's probably because it was greatly overlooked in my blog post about Capoeira. While I definitely couldn't keep up with the Capoeira - I definitely stuck with the belly dancing, and I have a feeling I will keep taking classes well after this semester, because it is so much fun and a really good core work out. Plus - I get to wear fun costumes.
Yes - one of the reasons why I was so eager and excited to take belly dancing, is for the epically awesome costumes. Over a year ago while visiting Victoria, I walked past this beautiful store called Cleopatra's Bedroom which had all of these breathtakingly beautiful Egyptian outfits, including the coined belts worn for belly dancing. Seeing the different outfits really made me want to sign up for some classes, so once I finally did I made sure to stop by that store again and pick up one of those epically awesome belts. It ended up being just a little more expensive than I expected which most times would mean that I wouldn't go through with the purchase, but with Luke present to remind me of how excited I was to get it, and ask me whether I could actually afford it or not - I put my usual frugality aside and went ahead and bought the belt. And I am so glad I did.
Tonight was the first class in which I was actually able to wear the belt, and boy did it ever feel good. I'm was already excited to be shaking my hips and butt, but adding that little jingle to it gave it the extra awesome I was hoping for! Hooray for jingly butts. Can't wait for next Tuesday!
When I first moved to Vancouver over 5 years ago it was a pretty easy transition. Nothing that happened here was all too different than life back home, except that here it was done in the presence of mountains and an ocean. Then just over two months of living here I got my first sense of West Coast culture shock. Fireworks on Halloween???? These people are crazy.
Fireworks are obviously for the late spring/summer seasons. When it's warm and the sun does not go down so early (though perhaps the West Coasters are on to something there). Needless to say - we never had fireworks going off while kids are in the streets collecting candy from their generous neighbours. Instead, we had our fireworks on the Victoria Day weekend when we had an additional day off and wanted a fun way to celebrate. Well apparently they do things a little differently here. So 5 years later I decided to finally come around and embrace this tradition.
A few of us headed over to a neighbourhood party for some mulled wine and fireworks. I will admit that I was a little bit frightened when I found that the location where they were setting off the fireworks was located in the middle of the street, merely feet away from the fronts of houses, power lines, and the general crowd. It also didn't help that in the first round of fireworks, one of them actually blew out the bottom of the bucket it was sitting in.
Fortunately the hosts of the event knew what they were doing and managed to light all of the fireworks safely without causing harm to anyone around them. And it was a lot of fun. I don't think it will ever beat Victoria Day fireworks spent with the Werstiuk's and Kurtz's in our backyards while chowing down on some summer BBQ. But - it was a great evening spent with friends over a warm drink and under some bright lights. And that's pretty awesome! I'm still not fully adjusted to this new tradition - but with time perhaps I will make it my own. In the mean time - I definitely know which neighbourhood to go to if I want to celebrate.
Sunday was yet another fantastic day. Despite the fact that Luke had to leave (pause to allow time for readers to throw up . . . feel better? . . . good), I again spent the day doing all the things I love. I had an improv workshop in the morning, an afternoon of catching up on errands, a trip to the bowling alley and then another awesome Halloween Party with friends.
Yes - that's right folks. I went to the bowling alley and bowled 5 pin for the first time in a VERY long time. As with most of the great things in my life, it was a very nostalgic experience. It made me think of all of those times spent with Mom, Aunt Pat, and Gramma at the bowling alley on Wednesdays when we had weeks off of school. Maybe if I spent more of those Wednesdays bowling instead of pretending to play video games then I might be a much better bowler now. Unfortunately that is not how I chose to spend my time - and now I'm lucky if I break 50. Yes - even in 5 pin).
But it seems to me that bowling is never about the score (unless you are really good at it - in which case go ahead and keep gloating about how awesome you are). Personally, I find bowling to be a lot like mini-putt in that the whole point of playing is not to keep score, but to be silly and have a fun time. The scores are merely there to allow someone to have a little bit of pride after the game is over, and for them to cash in on whatever prize they happened to win from betting with their fellow players - be it an ice cream cone, burger, or if on a date potentially even a first kiss. But no shame should ever come to any of the losing players. Well - at least that's what I'll keep saying to make me feel better about myself.
Here's to you 5-pin bowling . . . for being Canadian and awesome! And of course to Linsy for inviting me along!
Saturday Night was the evening when our choir has one of the year's biggest concerts, and it was AWESOME. Checo keeps mentioning how when he went back home for a year (though it seemed much longer than that) he returned to his musical roots, and reconnected with soul and gospel music is truly about. Since then hew has reformed the choir, to the point where we even added the word SWEET to our choir name - because really, what is the point of being a Soul Gospel Choir if we are not Sweet?
Checo's intention was to make sure the music was authentic, and he has made it as such. He has bumped all of our songs back up to their original keys (rather than the lowers ones he arranged to accommodate some of our voices), and he made sure to tighten up some of dynamics, and even our choirography. However - one of his friends asked him about the upcoming Motown concert and the authenticity of it, and Checo was adamant that it was authentic until it dawned on him that we were missing one thing. We weren't really 'stepping out'!
Now - our choir has always looked good while performing. When we perform outside in casual concerts we wear either whites are blacks on the bottom (depending on the season) and our VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir t-shirts. Then on fancier occasions we up the dress code to replace our red t-shirts with a dressier red shirt. But black slacks and a red top is hardly equivalent to the kind of attire that classic motown musicians would perform in. So this time Checo made sure that we were all dressed to the nines in cocktail attire, ready to "step out" and perform some classic motown hits . . . and one Philly song (what can I say - the folks love our version of 'Love Train').
It was pretty fantastic to stand on stage in a really nice get-up. I do not get to dress up all that often, so any excuse to get all dolled up is pretty awesome, especially when doing what you love. I can't say that I'm an authentic soul, gospel or motown singer now, but at least I can say that I tried my darndest and had an amazing time doing so. I'm looking forward to Stepping Out again in the near future!
